Inside Sources: States’ First Censuses

Inside Sources: States’ First Censuses

Find out the date of the first surviving federal census for each US state.

When did federal census takers begin tallying residents of your ancestral state? Consult this list to learn the first mostly extant US enumeration for each state.

• Alabama: 1830

• Alaska: 1900

• Arizona: 1870

• Arkansas: 1840

• California: 1850

• Colorado: 1880

• Connecticut: 1790

• Delaware: 1800

• District of Columbia: 1820

• Florida: 1830

• Georgia: 1820

• Hawaii: 1900

• Idaho: 1900

• Illinois: 1820

• Indiana: 1820

• Iowa: 1850

• Kansas: 1870

• Kentucky: 1810

• Louisiana: 1810

• Maine: 1790

• Maryland: 1810

• Massachusetts: 1790

• Michigan: 1820

• Minnesota: 1850

• Mississippi: 1820

• Missouri: 1830

• Montana: 1900

• Nebraska: 1860

• Nevada: 1870

• New Hampshire: 1790

• New Jersey: 1830

• New Mexico: 1850

• New York: 1790

• North Carolina: 1790

• North Dakota: 1900

• Ohio: 1820

• Oklahoma: 1910

• Oregon: 1850

• Pennsylvania: 1790

• Rhode Island: 1790

• South Carolina: 1790

• South Dakota: 1900

• Tennessee: 1830

• Texas: 1850

• Utah: 1850

• Vermont: 1790

• Virginia: 1810

• Washington: 1860

• West Virginia: 1870

• Wisconsin: 1820

• Wyoming: 1870

Image: Until 2012, the 1930 US census was the most recent one researchers could access (census records are opened to the public after 72 years). Enumerators recorded the name, age, marital status, place of birth, citizenship status, level of education, occupation and more for each member of the household.